DEADLY BUSINESS

 

BY ANITA DICKASON

 

 

Anticipated Publication Date: July 3, 2021

Pages: 324 pages

Categories: Suspense | Thriller | Crime Thriller

 

 

 

 

A Texas Multi-Billion Dollar Lure!

 

Following a tactical raid at an Oklahoma farm, a phone call sends U.S. Deputy Marshal Piper McKay rushing back to the East Texas cattle ranch where she grew up.

 

Her grandmother, Jennie Layton, is near death from a crushed skull. When local authorities claim the cause of the injury was an accident, Piper isn’t convinced.

 

Who wants Jennie dead and why? Is the reason connected to a dubious contract Piper finds in Jennie’s desk?

 

Piper realizes her grandmother isn’t the only one in danger when she barely escapes a deadly attack. Thrust into the middle of a high-stakes, high-risk shell game, Piper’s become the target.

 

The case takes a bizarre turn when Piper unknowingly crosses paths with a Special Ranger. If he can’t derail her investigation, it could cost him his life.

 

With millions of dollars on the line, nothing will stop a ring of cold-blooded killers, including the murders of a U.S. Marshal and a Special Ranger.

 

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Award-winning Author Anita Dickason is a twenty-two veteran of the Dallas Police Department. She served as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics detective, advanced accident investigator, tactical officer and first female sniper on the Dallas SWAT team.

Anita writes about what she knows, cops and crime. Her police background provides an unending source of inspiration for her plots and characters. Many incidents and characters portrayed in her books are based on personal experience. For her, the characters are the fun part of writing as she never knows where they will take her. There is always something out of the ordinary in her stories.

In Anita’s debut novel, Sentinels of the Night, she created an elite FBI Unit, the Trackers. Since then, she has added three more Tracker crime thrillers, Going Gone!, A u 7 9, and Operation Navajo. The novels are not a series and can be read in any order.

As a Texas author, many of Anita’s books are based in Texas, or there is a link to Texas. When she stepped outside of the Tracker novels and wrote, Not Dead, she selected Meridian, a small community in central Texas for the location.

 

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Pre-order Deadly Business and you could win one of three prize packages (value $40 each)

 

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Synopsis

 

Criminalist Ellie Matthews has turned over a new leaf.  For the first time in her life, she’s working on herself and putting the past behind her with the encouragement of the new man she’s seeing, FBI Agent Vic Manetti.

Her first attempt at competitive running is cut short when a woman is found dead along the trail.  At first, the case seems to be open and shut.  But when a gruesome photo of the victim goes viral, tagged with a chilling caption threatening more violence, Ellie must delve into the mind of a deranged killer to get to the truth.

Though Ellie’s relationship with Detective Nick Baxter has been strained to its breaking point, the two find themselves teaming up once again in a race to bring down the killer before he takes another life.

 

 

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Excerpt

 

To set up this scene, you’ll need to know that it’s a conversation between the heroine of DEAD SPRINT, Ellie Matthews, a crime scene investigator trying to keep her alcoholism in check, and her partner, Detective Nick Baxter.  As you can probably tell, they have a bit more of a connection brewing than just being work colleagues.

 

Baxter pulled into the parking lot of the church where my AA meeting was about to start.

I said, “Thanks for dropping me off.”

He replied, “Well, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there’s a killer on the loose, preying on women running around alone at night.”

I laughed.  “Is that so?”

He parked his vehicle and turned off the engine.  “That aside, do you think I’d just dump you here by yourself after what you went through tonight?”

I stared at him.  “Well, you’re not coming in with me.”

He smiled.  “I’d like to see you try to stop me.”

I had a feeling I’d end up breaking down during this meeting, and I didn’t want him to see that.  I tried another tactic.  “You know all anyone does here is complain about their lives, right?  These meetings can be a real downer.”

“That’s not true.  I’ve been to AA meetings with friends and family members before.  I know exactly what I’m walking into.  I think they can be uplifting.”

“Don’t you have a report to file or something?”

“Quit trying to get rid of me, Ellie.  I’m not going anywhere.”

“Not even if I ask nicely?”

He turned to face me.  “I get it—you’re embarrassed.  Don’t be.”

I bowed my head, my cheeks flaming.  “How can I not be?  The moment I walk through that door, I’m nothing more than another sad drunk,” I muttered, my tone bitter.

Baxter grasped my hand.  “That is absolutely not true.  The mere fact that you’re here proves you’re not a sad drunk.  I never want to cause you to feel embarrassed in front of me.  All I want to do is support you.”  His hand tightened around mine.  “I’m in awe of the amazing turnaround you’ve made.  Don’t you know that by now?”

I didn’t have enough restraint to keep my emotions in check if he held my hand much longer.  I pulled away.  “I guess you have a better marker than anyone to measure my progress.  You’re the one who saw me at my worst.”

“And even that didn’t scare me away.”

“I know.  And I appreciate that.  Um…”  I shook my head.  “Okay, I’m just going to say it.  A big part of the reason I don’t drink anymore is…you.”  When his eyebrows shot up, I held up my hands.  “Don’t worry—it’s not because I’m trying to please you.”

“Good.”

“It’s because…”  I sighed.  “The look on your face when you realized I was an alcoholic absolutely killed me.  I never want to see you look at me that way again.”  Tears stung my eyes as I recalled the evening when Baxter had given me a one-man intervention.

His face fell.  “Did you think I was disappointed in you?”

“You were disappointed in me.  And you weren’t wrong.”

“Ellie, I wasn’t disappointed.  I was terrified.  Terrified something would happen to you and…I’d lose you forever.”

No man had ever cared about me the way Nick Baxter did.  I didn’t have enough control left to keep the tears from leaking out.  I brushed them away quickly, but not before he noticed.

He sighed.  “Sorry.  Did I get a little deep for tonight?”

“Not any more than I did.”

We locked eyes, but after a moment we both looked away.

Clearing his throat, he said, “We should probably go on in.”

Baxter sat by my side throughout the meeting.  When my turn to share came around and I hesitated, he whispered words of encouragement in my ear.  While I opened up to the group about my struggles tonight, he listened to my every word as if he were hearing the story for the first time.  When I choked up, he put his arm around me for support.  I was thankful he was too stubborn—too caring—to allow me to push him away.

Once the meeting was over, we didn’t speak until we got into his vehicle.  We were both a little overcome with emotion, but in a good way.

I said, “Thanks for staying.  It means more than you could ever know.”

He smiled.  “Thanks for letting me.”

 

 

About the Author

 

CAROLINE FARDIG is the USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR of over a dozen mystery novels. Fardig’s BAD MEDICINE was named one of the “Best Books of 2015” by Suspense Magazine. She worked as a schoolteacher, church organist, insurance agent, funeral parlor associate, and stay-at-home mom before she realized that she wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Born and raised in a small town in Indiana, Fardig still lives in that same town with an understanding husband, two sweet kids, two energetic dogs, and one malevolent cat.

 

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Synopsis

 

The Hunting Wives share more than target practice, martinis, and bad behavior in this novel of obsession, seduction, and murder.

Sophie O’Neill left behind an envy-inspiring career and the stressful, competitive life of big-city Chicago to settle down with her husband and young son in a small Texas town. It seems like the perfect life with a beautiful home in an idyllic rural community. But Sophie soon realizes that life is now too quiet, and she’s feeling bored and restless.

Then she meets Margot Banks, an alluring socialite who is part of an elite clique secretly known as the Hunting Wives. Sophie finds herself completely drawn to Margot and swept into her mysterious world of late-night target practice and dangerous partying. As Sophie’s curiosity gives way to full-blown obsession, she slips farther away from the safety of her family and deeper into this nest of vipers.

When the body of a teenage girl is discovered in the woods where the Hunting Wives meet, Sophie finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation and her life spiraling out of control.

 

 

 

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Review

 

Don’t mess with a Texas gal or her gun.

Welcome to the piney woods of East Texas in a small town where everyone knows everyone else and the rumors abound. Sophie and her family have moved back to this town where she spent two years in high school. She thought it would be a better place to raise her son compared to Chicago. She might be right and she may be wrong.

I will have to admit that the first half of the book (or so) was somewhat slow as we learned more about Sophie, Margot, Erin, Callie, Jill, and Tina. I learned that most of these women were catty and shallow, and liked to drink a lot. It seems like they were always getting drunk. I don’t know if they weren’t happy with their lives or if they were bored or something else. Sophie also has an obsession with Margot and it takes some time to really get down to the reason for the obsession. At the outset, it might be because she is bored with her life, and moving to this town may not have been what she was expecting.

Most of the characters are unlikeable but in a way, they draw you into their world. It is surprising what they manage to get away with and keep from their families, or are they? I think their spouses have an inkling about what is going on and either keep quiet or have their own agenda.

We learn at the beginning of one death, but you won’t get the details about that until much later. There is another death that shocks the small town especially when other information comes to light. One might think you learn who to trust or not trust, and just when you thought you had it all figured out there are some twists that will surprise you.

The moral of this story – don’t go looking for happiness in others because you will only find it in yourself.

Overall, I found this book to have some good suspense/thriller moments but it was hard to root for any of the characters except maybe Erin. We give it 3 1/2 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

May Cobb is a freelance writer from Austin, TX who won the 2015 Writer’s League of Texas Manuscript Contest. Her writing has appeared in Austin Monthly and the online edition of JazzTimes. Big Woods is her debut novel.

 

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Synopsis

 

Dakota Kilroy, a 28-year-old investigative journalist, is haunted by the unsolved disappearance of her best friend, Maddy Montgomery who went missing at the age of fifteen. When financial difficulties force her to move back home to Santa Monica, CA, she cannot take the unanswered questions anymore. Determined to find out what happened to Maddy, Dakota starts ShadowCast, a true crime podcast to publicize the case. But little does she know the man responsible for Maddy’s disappearance all those years ago is listening in and tampering with her investigation.

SHADOWCAST is a psychological thriller with page-turning suspense, a story that praises the value of friendship and the fearless pursuit of justice.

 

 

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Review

 

I have been on a psychological thriller kick over the last year and this one does not disappoint. It is a little different because we know all those involved, including the killer, and the story is told from his POV and Dakota’s, the protagonist. It is eerie reading the killer’s POV but it is also fascinating to see how a serial killer might think. There is more to his story than meets the eye.

Dakota is an investigative journalist that has been laid off and ends up going back home to CA from NYC much to her chagrin. Her parents are not 100% supportive of her career path and possibly even less so once she is out there and decides to start a podcast to try and find out what happened to her best friend Maddy. I don’t feel like we get to know Dakota’s family very well and I feel like they are shallow and only care about appearances.

While I don’t list to podcasts, I find the concept interesting. I know many listen to true crime podcasts and this would fall into that category. She is very matter of fact when sharing her findings and that draws attention to her show. But like anything on the internet, there are creepers out there and those that are willing to throw rocks at anyone and everyone from the perceived safety from behind a computer.

The story has a nice even pace and I was riveted to the story wondering what was the connection, would they figure out who he was, and how would that impact Dakota. The clues and details of what happened and parsed out at a good pace that keeps the story hopping. The revelation about the history of the killer and how long this has been happening is amazing. Goes to show you there are all kinds of weirdos about there.

There is even a bit of romance to this book between Dakota and Sean. Sean is about 16 years older than Dakota and is heavily invested in her search for Maddy’s killer. You will have to read the book to learn why he cares so much.

Overall this was an intriguing read and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

V.P. Morris is an award winning horror and thriller writer. She is also the creator of the fictional podcast, The Dead Letters Podcast. Her interest in true crime and criminal psychology inspired her debut novel, ShadowCast. When she is not reading or writing, she is sending time with her husband, son, and rescue dog in their Connecticut home.

 

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THE PARIS BETRAYAL

 

By James R. Hannibal

 

 

Publisher: Revell

Pub Date: May 4th, 2021

Pages: 352 pages

Categories: Fiction / Christian / Suspense

 

 

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After a rough mission in Rome involving the discovery of a devastating bioweapon, Company spy Ben Calix returns to Paris to find his perfectly ordered world has collapsed. A sniper attack. An ambush. A call for help that brings French SWAT forces down on his head. Ben is out. This is a severance–reserved for incompetents and traitors.

Searching for answers and anticipating a coming attack, Ben and a woman swept up in his misfortunes must travel across Europe to find the sniper who tried to kill him, the medic who saved his life, the schoolmaster who trained him, and an upstart hacker from his former team. More than that, Ben must come to grips with his own insignificance as the Company’s plan to stop Leviathan from unleashing the bioweapon at any cost moves forward without him–and he struggles against the infection that is swiftly claiming territory within his own body.

Award-winning author James R. Hannibal ratchets up the tension on every page of this suspenseful new thriller.

 

 

 

 

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Praise

 

“A masterful thriller is created by a masterful writer, and James R. Hannibal is at the top of my list. I devoured every page with the lights on!” —DiAnn Mills, DiAnnMills.com, author of Airborne

“James Hannibal once again displays his dazzling prose and ability to keep even the more experienced readers guessing. In The Paris Betrayal, Hannibal sets his hook deep and early, then drags you through a riveting, edge-of-your-seat story. Another gripping, high-octane book from one of the best thriller writers in the business.” — Simon Gervais, former RCMP counterterrorism officer and bestselling author of Hunt Them Down

“Riveting and action-packed! The Paris Betrayal is everything you want in a thriller–suspense, intrigue, and white-knuckle action. Hannibal has a knack for keeping you guessing in a plot that moves at a breakneck speed. This is one you don’t want to miss!” —Ronie Kendig, bestselling author of The Tox Files

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spies, Lies, and a dog…Oh my!

If you are in the mood for a good spy novel then look no further than this book. I was taken on a fast-paced adventure with many moving parts, flawed characters, and an adorable doxie named Otto. Yes, anytime there is a dog I am pretty sure I’m going to like the book.

The author has some first-hand knowledge regarding military operations and while this is not a military based book, I could see how that information could shape the direction Ben took in hunting down the virus and Leviathan before it destroys the world and the people that inhabit this planet. While the book was primarily written before the current pandemic, the author took advantage of this new information and added a few more twists to the story.

Ben is loyal to The Company and his mission. When he is burned he doesn’t stop trying to right the wrongs, he continues and puts himself in perilous situations. However, it seems like Ben is always on the go. This is probably to be expected in the spy business because once you are in play, I can’t imagine that you aren’t always on edge and looking over your shoulder. But that just adds to the drama of the novel and will keep you glued to your seat from start to finish.

In spite of his current situation, a few people still want to help Ben survive including Clara, a seemingly innocent bystander that is swept along into this nightmare along with her dog Otto. Clara manages to end up in the right place at the right time to help Ben out of a few situations. Is she as innocent as she appears?

I appreciated that while some characters were not major players in the book, we are provided sufficient information about each character so we can imagine them in our minds and the role they play in this novel and in Ben’s quest for the truth. I felt like each character added to the storyline no matter their role. Many were devious and it is obvious I was never trained to be a spy because I don’t think I could think that fast on my feet if I were in the same situation.

While this book has more of a serious tone, there are still many scenes that had me chuckling including one with a hacker that Ben thinks has blown up his girlfriend’s home. Between the dialogue and the actions of Ben, it was almost like watching a comedy routine but a little more dangerous.

This was the first book I have read from this author but it won’t be my last. I definitely recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good spy novel. We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James R. Hannibal is no stranger to secrets and adventure. This former stealth pilot from Houston, Texas, has been shot at, locked up with surface-to-air missiles, and chased down a winding German road by an armed terrorist. He is a two-time Silver Falchion Award winner for his children’s mysteries, a former Thriller Award nominee, and a 2020 Selah and Carol Award finalist for The Gryphon Heist–the opener for the CIA series that now includes Chasing the White Lion. James is a rare multisense synesthete, meaning all of his senses intersect. He sees and feels sounds and smells, and he hears flashes of light. If he tells you the chocolate cake you offered smells blue and sticky, take it as a compliment.

 

 

 

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ONE WINNER receives a print copy of The Paris Betrayal,

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5/4/21	Notable Quotables	Texas Book Lover
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5/6/21	Character Interview	Hall Ways Blog
5/7/21	Review	The Clueless Gent
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5/9/21	Excerpt	Stories Under Starlight
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Synopsis

 

What if the Darkest Minds on Earth Discovered How to Subdue Future Generations?

 

When Californians start getting sick with flu-like symptoms, traumatized engineer Jake Bendel is once again forced to work with the FBI to discover the cause. With his new desalination plants behind schedule and searing pressure from the California Governor, Jake uncovers a secret network of vengeful terrorists planning catastrophic genetic modifications.

But before the engineer can find a way to cure the masses, he himself is injected with the virus, forcing him to dig deep to track down the leader of the terrorist group. Using strength from recent losses in order to save the lives of millions, Jake overcomes drone strikes and bunker bombs to discover the mastermind behind the plot, but not until the very end does he realize he’s been chasing someone who can’t possibly be caught.

 

 

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Praise

 

“The breakneck pace will surely thrill and delight many.” — Sarasota Magazine

 

“Bennecke was able to create a suspenseful story that was driven by an action-packed plot. The book pulled me in and left me eager for the next installment.” — OnlineBookClub.org

 

 

Review

 

This fast-paced thriller intrigued me, frightened me, and kept me on the edge of my seat. How would this virus affect the population and crops?

The crux of this story takes place over a few days but the whole book spans about two weeks from the initial chapter until the end. The story begins with Jake kidnapped leaving a diner and injected with a drug that made him susceptible to coercion but won’t remember anything that he said or did afterward. That is until weeks later when his project with a water plant starts to go awry. That is when everything starts unraveling.

While it isn’t necessary to read the first book by this author, Civil Terror: Gridlock, I think it would be very helpful. I will admit I was a bit confused at the beginning not understanding the relationship between Jake and Viktor and how their lives intersected and why there was such animosity between the two. However, I did finally put the pieces together, but had I read the first book I wouldn’t have felt discombobulated in the beginning.

The book does have some technical jargon peppered throughout, but I didn’t find it to be overwhelming or take away from the story. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their relationships with one another. There are some surprising twists in the story, so don’t think you have it all figured out! We do know who is behind everything early in the book and there is a surprise near the end that has me intrigued and ready to read the next book to find the answer.

This book hits a range of emotions and is well done. Sure some of it may not be realistic, but that is the great thing about fiction, you can make anything possible and in the future, it just might become a reality.

We give this 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

J. Luke Bennecke is a native Californian and veteran civil engineer. His first book, Civil Terror: Gridlock, became an Amazon Bestseller. Bennecke currently resides in Southern California with his wife of 30 years, whom he enjoys traveling with, and three spunky cats. Waterborne is his second novel.

 

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Synopsis

 

In the shadows of New York City’s North Brother Island stand the remains of a shuttered hospital and the haunting memories of quarantines and human experiments. The ruins conceal the scarred and beautiful Cora, imprisoned there by contagions and the doctors who torment her. When Finn, a young urban explorer, arrives on the island and glimpses the enigmatic woman through the foliage, intrigue turns to obsession as he seeks to uncover her past–and his own family’s dark secrets. Nolden skillfully intertwines North Brother Island’s horrific and elusive history with a captivating tale of love, betrayal, survival, and loss.

 

 

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Review

 

Lately, I have enjoyed reading books that tie actual places and events to fictional stories. I appreciate learning about places I have not been and the impact they had on the world at that time. This is the case in this debut novel and North Brother Island in New York and the facilities that were located on the island in the early to mid-1900s.  The facilities sheltered the sick and mentally ill and probably the most famous person housed there that most people know is Typhoid Mary. There is also a reference to a ship that caught fire and many died not able to escape the blaze or drowned in the river.

The story focuses on Cora, a young woman that is brought to the island with her sister to hopefully isolate them from spreading disease until they are well. However, what ensues is lifelong imprisonment for Cora and subjected to the whims of the Gettler men who happened to be doctors on the island.

The story flips between the past and the present and while it seems unbelievable, it also held me captive wondering how things could have happened as they did and how did Cora survive the cruel and unusual behavior of the doctors on the island? Why did she not try and leave? The answer to that question might blow your mind.

I don’t want to reveal too much, but there are some events that shocked and surprised me and also broke my heart knowing what Cora went through. She may be a tough woman on the outside, but she still endured emotional and physical pain that most would not have survived.

When I got to the end, it is revealed that there will be a sequel to follow. This is good because there is quite a cliffhanger at the end and I have to know what happens next for Cora and all of the Gettler men. Will they change their ways? How will it impact their families? Inquiring minds want to know.

I am giving this book 5 paws up. There are times when the story drags a little bit but overall this story held my attention and left me wanting more.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Shelley Nolden is an entrepreneur and writer, now residing in Wisconsin. Previously, she lived in the New York City area, where she worked on Wall Street and first learned of North Brother Island. At the age of 31, Shelley was diagnosed with leukemia and completed treatment three years later. The sense of isolation and fear she experienced during her cancer ordeal influenced her spellbinding debut novel, THE VINES.

 

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Synopsis

 

The Perfect Daughter is a thriller that explores the truth or lies behind a teenage girl’s multiple personality disorder, from D.J. Palmer, the author of The New Husband.

Grace never dreamt she’d visit her teenaged daughter Penny in the locked ward of a decaying state psychiatric hospital, charged with the murder of a stranger. There was not much question of her daughter’s guilt. Police had her fingerprints on the murder weapon and the victim’s blood on her body and clothes. But they didn’t have a motive.

Grace blames herself, because that’s what mothers do—they look at their choices and wonder, what if? But hindsight offers little more than the chance for regret.

None of this was conceivable the day Penny came into her life. Then, it seemed like a miracle. Penny was found abandoned, with a mysterious past, and it felt like fate brought Penny to her, and her husband Arthur. But as she grew, Penny’s actions grew more disturbing, and different “personalities” emerged.

Arthur and Grace took Penny to different psychiatrists, many of whom believed she was putting on a show to help manage her trauma. But Grace didn’t buy it. The personas were too real, too consistent. It had to be a severe multiple personality disorder. One determined psychiatrist, Dr. Mitch McHugh, helped discover someone new inside Penny—a young girl named Abigail. Is this the nameless girl who was abandoned in the park years ago? Mitch thinks Abigail is the key to Penny’s past and to the murder. But as Grace and Mitch dig deeper, they uncover dark and shocking secrets that put all their lives in grave danger.

 

 

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Review

 

This book was like a roller coaster….a slow build-up before it dumps you down the hill and leaves your heart pounding not believing what you are reading.

Penny was found in the park by Grace Francone. Grace has two sons from her marriage but always wanted a daughter and when they discover that Penny was left alone and the mother willing to give up her rights to avoid prosecution, she finds this to be the perfect answer to her prayer. What she doesn’t expect is to discover that Penny has DID – Dissociative Identity Disorder – or multiple personalities. I’m sure her family didn’t know what to make of the various personalities and they mostly just went with the flow and didn’t call attention to the alters.

Penny’s two brothers have different feelings about her. One adores her and the other dislikes her intensely. I can see why, Grace seems to put a lot of her attention on Penny and when Penny is accused of killing her birth mother, Grace is willing to lose everything to save Penny. This includes the family restaurant and possibly even her family. But I have to admire and appreciate Grace’s devotion to Penny and her belief that Penny is innocent. As the events unfold, we will learn what caused the split personalities to emerge and I can’t even imagine what horrors Penny observed prior to being found in the park.

This book does move along a bit slower than the last 20% when everything unfolds and we learn the truth. I was quite shocked by the ending and did not expect that to happen. Everything that I believed was turned upside down.

There is one event in the book that turned my stomach tied to animal abuse. While I understand the importance of it to the story and revelations further in the story, it still gave me the heebie jeebies. There are other potential triggers for people including child abuse.

Overall, this was a psychological thriller that left me with a slightly better understanding of DID and how it can impact a family.

We give this 4 1/2 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

From the award-winning author of Money Matters, an explosive family drama set in the Bay Area during the early months of the pandemic: a suspenseful tale of transgressions, betrayals, and the rise of outrageous conspiracy theories.

Oakland, California, 2020.

Computer scientist Adam cannot understand the widespread appeal of conspiracy theories popularized by the president. He decides to investigate one, QAnon, which turns out to have hidden connections to a White House intent on subverting the upcoming presidential election.

His wife Julia, who works at the ACLU, is terrified by the outbreak of the coronavirus and is drawn to the fake online cures Adam detests. Further threatened by the reappearance of a violent ex-boyfriend, Julia sees her life unraveling and resorts to desperate remedies.

Brian Finney’s Dangerous Conjectures is a powerful, gripping exploration of two Americans’ inner lives living through a pandemic and a culture overrun with misinformation.

 

 

 

Read for free via Kindle Unlimited

 

About the Author

 

Brian Finney, a professor of English, has published eight books on subjects ranging from a biography of Christopher Isherwood (awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Book Prize for the best work of non-fiction in 1979) to Terrorized: How the War on Terror Affected American Culture and Society, published on Amazon’s Kindle in 2011 and as a paperback in 2018. In 2019 he published his first novel, Money Matters, an unconventional detective novel in which a woman with no experience uncovers the whereabouts of a missing person with connections to the powerful CEO of a mutual fund company, a politician running for governor in California, and a drug cartel. Money Matters was released on August 22, 2019.

Born in London, he obtained a BA at Reading University and a Ph.D. at the University of London. He spent three years as an officer in the Royal Air Force and five years in management at Joseph Lucas Electrical and Standard Telephones and Cables. In 1964 he transferred to the University of London where he taught and organized courses in the arts for its Department of Extra-Mural Studies.

In 1987 he emigrated to Southern California. After two years as a Visiting Professor at the University of California, Riverside, and subsequent adjunct positions at UCLA and the University of Southern California, he became a full-time professor at California State University, Long Beach, where he is currently a Professor Emeritus in the Department of English.

He is married to fine art photographer J.K. Lavin and lives in Venice, California.

 

Website * Twitter * Pinterest * Instagram

 

 

 

 

Book Title: Midnight Black by R. J. Eastwood

 

Category: Adult Fiction (18 +), 282 pages

 

Genre: General Fiction, Political

 

Publisher: Indies United Publishing House

 

Release date: April 14, 2021

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

“When plunder becomes a way of life for men, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.” Frederic Bastiat, French Economist. 1801-1850

Fifteen years following his imprisonment for committing a brutal revenge murder, former top DEA Agent Billy Russell is paroled five-years early to a world controlled by autocratic billionaires. Armed only with his wits, Billy returns to a society fighting for its very survival and soon finds himself embroiled in the wildest conspiracy he could have ever imagined.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guest Post

 

Before I retired and began writing books, I wrote and directed motion picture screenplays as well as more cable network documentaries than I care to remember—one-hundred & forty hours-worth, to be exact. Eight of my screenplays made it to the big screen.

Now, not all motion picture screenplays are created equal. By that I mean some never get made into films. That’s just the nature of the business. That was the case of two of my screenplays, both of which I turned into novels—twice.

The first was In the Realm of Eden, based on my screenplay about what first contact between humans and aliens might be like. Eventually, I added to it and retitled it and published it as The Autopsy of Planet Earth. It went on to win four book awards and is still selling.

The second screenplay that didn’t make it too the silver screen was about a near future society paying a severe price for the failures of earlier societies. That was published as Midnight Black – The Purge. It was written before the events of 2020 and early 2021: the polarized political situation, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the horrible pandemic that spread pain, suffering, and death throughout the world. I was compelled to revise and expand the novel to include those event as well as other events that had occurred since the original book had been published. This time I simply titled it Midnight Black.

Writing screenplays and documentaries bears no resemblance to a novel. For me, the learning curve was at times arduous. Movie scripts, for example, set a location, provide a bit of motivation, and lots of dialogue. The rest is left up to the director’s imagination and the talent of the actors. Documentaries are voice overs and on-camera interviews. Both are visual, books are not. I had to learn to flesh out scenes that readers could clearly visualize in their heads. I also had to show restraint and not spell out everything in minute detail. I had to demonstrate respect for readers, providing just enough information that would allow their imaginations to take it from there. I believe that’s part of the fun of reading. And yet, not so easy.

However, once I got into it, I loved it. For the first time in my writing career, I was able to let my imagination and creativity sour beyond the restrictions of a 120-130-page screenplay or a one-hour documentary. I retained my screenplay storyline and characters just as I had originally written, so the characters, plot, and structure remained the same. Although, once I began, like many first-time novel writers, I tended to overwrite, using far more words than were needed to set the scene and flesh out the characters. I had to learn to tell the story cleanly without trying to emulate Shakespeare. My editor was also a great help in helping me find my voice and not someone else’s.

Now I working on two new novels based not on unproduced screenplay, but on original ideas. I’m ready, I’ve found my “novel” voice, and now the words just flow—thank goodness.

With the April 14^th publication of the revised and expanded Midnight Black, I have now authored nine books, five of which were non-fiction along the way. When I get up in the morning, I can’t wait to get to the computer and begin working. It brings me so much joy. How lucky I am.

 

 

About the Author

 

During his film and television career, Robert J. Emery, who writes novels under the pen name, R. J. Eastwood, has written, produced, and directed feature motion pictures, television documentaries, national television commercials, political campaigns, and industrial films. Some of the highlights of his career include the award-winning ninety-one-episode television series The Directors for Starz/Encore, the award-winning four-part mini-series, The Genocide Factor for PBS, the award-winning documentary For God & Country: A Marine Sniper’s Story for MSNBC, and the award-winning motion picture, Swimming Upstream, for the Lifetime Television Network.

 

 

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway

 

Win 1 of 5 copies of MIDNIGHT BLACK (ebook) (5 winners)(ends May 4)

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